LISBON, Portugal — In an effort to foster a smoke-free environment and combat tobacco addiction, Portugal’s health minister, Manuel Pizarro, announced on Thursday, May 11, 2023, a new set of measures to ban smoking near schools, hospitals, and covered outdoor seating areas.
The proposed law, which will be discussed in Parliament at a yet-to-be-determined date, seeks to not only prohibit smoking in all indoor spaces, including designated smoking areas inside cafes but also prevent the installation of new such areas.
Additionally, the sale of tobacco products will be banned in locations where smoking is prohibited, starting in 2025.
“With this law, we hope that young people can live in an environment without tobacco, reduce the incentive to smoke, and allow smokers to overcome their addiction,” said Pizarro after a Council of Ministers meeting.
“Our objective is to have a generation living without tobacco by 2040… this law is in line with the EU’s anti-tobacco stance, but we wish to go further.”
In June last year, the European Commission expressed its ambition to reduce tobacco use in the 27-country bloc to less than five percent of the population by 2040.
Portugal first banned smoking in public indoor spaces over a decade ago.
The government is also planning to introduce health warnings on the packaging of tobacco products like e-cigarettes, similar to those found on traditional smoking items.
According to a 2019 report, Lisbon estimated that approximately 13,500 deaths that year were linked to tobacco use.
With these new measures, Portugal aims to create a healthier environment for its citizens and reduce the devastating impact of tobacco on public health.
